Bobby pin



Feb. 21, 1950 E. L.. CHALLINOR 2,498,066

BOBBY PIN Filed Aug. 19, 1947 2 Sheets-Shem: 1

AT TORNEYS Feb. 21, 1950 CHALLINQR 2,498,066

BOBBY PIN Filed Aug. 19, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

E DWARD CHALLINOR ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFHCE BOBBY PIN Edward L. Challinor, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application August 19, 1947, Serial No. 769,445

Claims.

The, present invention relates to improvements in a Bobbie pin or thelike. It consists of the combinations, constructions and arrangement of parts. hereinafter described and claimed. As the specification continues, it will be obvious that the structure disclosed is adapted for dress pins, costume jewelry pins and clasps, blouse clasps, shirt pins, tie clasps, clothespins, hat pins, paper clips, etc.

Although I shall describe a Bobbie pin as. being 1 pressure, the operating member will restore the arms to their normal, position to grip material therebetween.

Another object of my invention is to provide a Bobbiepi-n in which the entire lengths of the arms may be moved into separated relation when the arms are opened. No part of the pin is obstructed, blocked or hampered, when applying the pin to the hair.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a Bobbie pin, which inoperation is opened its .full length without obstructions, especially obstructions of its own parts or the fingers of the operator; Itv is proposed to simplify the operation of; the Bobbie pin tov the extent of requiring only the thumb and one finger for manipulating the pin.

Another object is to provide a Bobbie pin having its ends curved toward one another. In this manner, when either arm end is on the scalp, that end will glide over the scalp and will not injure the latter. Patrons often complain that operators scratch their scalp with the ends of conventional Bobbie pins.

It is a well known fact that fingers of a beauty operator are severely injured by the end of a busy day when conventional Bobbie pins are used. I propose to make a Bobbie pin that. will not injure the operator when it, is applied to or removed from the hair of a patron.

For a better understanding of my invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in

which:

. Figure 1 is a top plan viewof my Bobbie pin in its normal position, disclosing the operating 2 member as beinggrasped between the thumb and one finger of an-operator;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same Bobbie pin, with the arms arranged-closely together;

Figure '3 is another top plan view showing the operating member after it has been compressed to move the arms apart; and

Figure 4 is a side elevation of Figure 3.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, it should be understood that various changes, or modifications, may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be noted that I provide an operating member indicated generally at A, which is a portion of a hollow sphere and therefore cup-shaped in appearance. The shell of the latter has an elliptical rim I, the normal minor and major axes of which are indicated at :r-zc' and y-y', respectively. The shell of the operating member is resilient. When opposing rim sections 1 a are pressed toward one another along the normal major axis y-y by a persons finger F and thumb T, opposing rim sections 1, b located at the normal minor axis 02-22 will be spread farther apart.

In fashioning the operating member A, it is given a permanent set that will restore the partial sphere to normal when compressive pressure is released from the normal major axis yy. In other words, Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the operating member in its normal position. As the opposing rim sections I a are pressed toward one another, the opposing rim sections lb expand outwardly along the normal minor axis :r-zr' as indicated in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings. However, the set will return the partial sphere to the shape shown in Figures 1 and 2 as soon as pressure by the finger F and the thumb T is released along the normal major axis.

Upper and lower arms 2 and 3, respectively, extend from the opposing r'im sections I b along the normal minor axis :r-x'. These arms are shown as being arranged close to one another in Figure 2 so as to grip hair or other material therebetween.

The arms are. rigid relative to the shell of the operating member; that is, the angles a and 1) -.between the shell and the arms 2 and 3, respec- :is contracted or expanded. Therefore, when the tively, remain constant when the elliptical rim opposing rim sections In are pressed toward one another along the normal major axis yy, the entire lengths of the arms 2 and 3 will move apart,

as clearly shown in Figure 4. As soon as the compressive pressure of the finger F and thumb T is released, the set of the operating member A will move the arms toward one another again, as in Figure 2.

A loop 3a is fashioned in the arm 3 adjacent to the operating member. This loop is adapted to receive hair or other material that is placed between the two arms and it also gives a certain amount of flexing to the lower arm.

The free ends 21) and 3b of the arms 2 and 3, respectively, are curved toward each other, as clearly shown in Figure 2. This is an important structural feature, since these curved ends will not injure the scalp of a patron when they are jabbed at the hair. Regardless of which arm may move over the scalp, that end will glide over the hair harmlessly.

Having thus described the various details of my Bobbie pin, the use thereof is briefly summarized as follows:

The operator grasps the member A between the finger F and thumb T as suggested in Figure 1. Upon pressing the opposing rim sections Ia toward one another, the arms 2 and 3 will open or move away from each other throughout their entire lengths (see Figure 4). The operating member A will not interfere with a clear view of the arms so that the Bobbie pin may be applied over the hair with facility and ease. As soon as the operator relaxes pressure on the member A, the set of the latter will move the arms together and clamp the hair therebetween. The Bobbie pin is operated by the same hand that is used to pick the pin up. No part of the pin presses or closes upon any other part to obstruct the opening, even partially. The curved ends 21) and 3b prevent injury to the patrons scalp. and the fingers of the beauty operator will not be injured during manipulation of my Bobbie pin, even over a long busy day of continued use of same. Considerable time can be saved when applying my Bobbie pins, as compared with conventional Bobbie pins now on the market.

The introductory phrases of the claims hereto annexed are sufiiciently broad to include the various pins and clasps mentioned in the objects of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described; a resilient operating member having an elliptical rim; a pair of coacting arms rigidly attached to the rim and extending therefrom at diametrically opposed sections thereof, which sections are lo- -cated at the normal minor axis of the ellipse; the arms projecting in a direction along the normal minor axis, with one arm normally overlying the other to grip material therebetween; the rim of the operating member being compressible along its normal major axis to expand the rim along its normal minor axis, thereby moving the arms apart in a direction at right angles to the plane of the rim; the operating member having a set to restore the rim to normal when compressive pressure is released along the normal major axis, thereby moving the arms toward one another again.

2. In a device of the character described; a resilient operating member having an elliptical rim; a pair of coacting arms rigidly attached to the rim and extending therefrom at diametrically opposed sections thereof, which sections are located at the normal minor axis of the ellipse; the arms projecting in a direction along the normal minor axis, with one arm normally overlying the other to grip material therebetween; the operating member being sufliciently compressible along its normal major axis to expand the rim along its normal minor axis to such an extent as to move the arms apart throughout their entire length and in a direction at right angles to the plane of the rim; at least one of the arms having a hair-receiving loop therein arranged adjacent to the operating member; the operating member having a set to restore the rim to normal when compressive pressure is released along the normal major axis, thereby moving the arms toward one another again.

3. In a device of the character described, a pair of coacting arms, a resilient cup-shaped member having a rim, the arms being rigidly connected to the rim apart and normally lying in parallel arrangement, with one arm normally overlying the other, the cup-shaped member when compressed along a line extending substantially at right angles tothe lengths of the arms, causing the latter to open and move in a plane substantially perpendicular to the line of compression.

4. In a device of the type described: a pair of coacting arms normally arranged in substantially parallel relation with one another; and a resilient cup-shaped operating member having a rim; the arms being substantially rigidly connected to the rim at diametrically opposed sections thereof and extending therefrom, with one arm normally overlying the other; the member being compressible along a line substantially at right angles to the length of the arms to force the arms apart in a plane substantially perpendicular to the line of compression; the operating member having a set to return the arms to their normal relation when the compressive pressure is released on the operating member.

5. In a device of the type described: a pair of coacting arms normally arranged in substantially parallel relation with one another; and a resilient cup-shaped operating member having a rim; the arms being substantially rigidly connected to the rim at diametrically opposed sections thereof and extending therefrom, with one arm normally overlying the other; the member being compressible along a line substantially at right angles to the length of the arms to force the arms apart in a plane substantially perpendicular to the line of compression; the operating member having a set to return the arms to their normal relation when the compressive pressure is released on the operating member; the member being compressible suificiently to force the arms apart throughout their entire lengths; the member including an annular wall and a bottom connected to the wall.

EDWARD L. CHALLINOR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 232,139 Germany Jan. 5, 1910 

